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Stormwind Medical Handbook: Shock
The Shock chapter of the Stormwind Medical Handbook covers the terminology and treatment of shock. All medical staff should be able to identify and treat victims of shock and determine triage based on the severity. It is recommended that all medical personnel read and comprehend the Medical Theory & Anatomy chapter of this handbook before attempting any treatment outlined in this chapter. Terminology Common Shock Terminology will be defined and explained below. Shock Shock refers to a state in which the body is unable to transport blood due to disease, extreme temperature change, or significant loss of bodily fluids. Shock victims often have an altered state of mind and may convulse or hallucinate. Victims of shock should be carefully monitored. Failure to treat shock properly will result in the death of the patient. Be advised, in the case of children casualties, children do not experience shock as adults do and have no bodily compensatory mechanisms. At the time of this writing, it is known that human and dwarf children have this failing, assume all potential patients do too. If you suspect a condition in a child which would cause shock, remove that child immediately for medical attention. Sanguineous/Cardiogenic Shock Sanguineous Shock is a state in which the patient’s heart is unable to transport blood throughout the body, or its ability to do so is severely compromised. Such is typically sustained with blunt force trauma to the chest which bruises or tears the heart, but may be induced by stress brought on by extreme temperature change. Symptoms of sanguineous shock include rapid breathing, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, loss of consciousness, weak pulse, and pale skin. As part of first aid, one should loosen any tight clothing on the victim and ensure that they remain calm. Hemorrhagic Shock Hemorrhagic Shock is a life threatening condition in which a significant amount of blood has escaped the body. Blood loss is not necessarily a condition that is visible as it can occur internally with little to no external signs beyond bruising. Common causes include serious cuts, blunt force trauma, serious burns, bloody diarrhea, or bloody vomiting. Common symptoms are cold and pale skin, shallow breathing, rapid heart rate, confusion, weakness, weak pulse, lightheadedness, and loss of consciousness. Implement immediate intervention by raising the patient’s legs above their torso angle to focus the blood to their core. Stanch bleeding from all open wounds if possible. Septic Shock Septic Shock, otherwise known as systemic shock, or more commonly known as sepsis, is the result of an infection that causes physiological changes within the individual. This life-threatening and dangerous condition is caused by the infection that spreads into the bloodstream that results in systemic disruption of the body systems. Infected blood corrupts the arteries and organs to the fatal extent of stopping their function. Early signs and symptoms of septic shock include fever, low body temperature, rapid heart rate, fast breathing, confusion, dizziness, and pale skin. Serious cases of septic shock are typically fatal unless magical cleansing potions or spells may be applied to the victim. Mental Shock Neurogenic shock is the condition in which damage has been done to the nervous system of the body which enervates the body. This manner of shock is caused entirely by spinal and back injuries, and as such, while the medic should treat shock as part of the medical assessment while appropriate, it shall generally be found in part 2 (trauma assessment). As a result of this injury, the patient will suffer cold and pale skin, shallow breathing, very slow heart rate, confusion, weakness, weak pulse, lightheadedness, and bluing of the extremities followed by loss of consciousness. Treatment Common Treatment Methods for shock shall be defined and explained below. Temperature Regulation The temperature of one suffering from shock can fluctuate wildly due to the imbalance of their humours. The patient's temperature should be regulated either with blankets if they are too warm or with dampened rags if the patient grows cold. The body expends a great deal of energy when recovering from shock, so assisting it with temperature regulation allows it to recover faster. Fluid and Humour Replacement Those suffering from shock should be given plenty of fluids to drink in order to rebalance their humours. Unspoiled fruit or vegetable juices may be given to the patient if they are available. Depending on their temperament, patients should also be given foods based on the humourous diet as defined by humour theory. Do not attempt to feed your patient if they are comatose or otherwise unresponsive. Blood Transfusion The medical academies of Dalaran have devised means to transfuse blood donated from one individual to another suffering from blood loss or shock. While such devices and available blood are rare, Dalaran has been known to donate their inventions to the medical academies of their allies in order to promote health throughout Azeroth. Category:Medical Handbook